Improved ladder



dlnited States @aient dtiyw.

Leners Para: No. 92,755, dated .my 20,1869. l

IMRovED LADDER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the snm:-

ToV all Iwhom lit may concern Be it known that I, Bnosson SGHOONMAKER, ofthe village of Plainwell, in the county of Allegau, and State of Michigan, have invented a ncwand useful Improvemcntiu Fruit, Step, and Long Ladders coinbined; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figlu'e l is a perspective view.

Figure 2, a longitudinal elevation.

This device is' an improvement iu that class of ladders which may be used as step -ladders for house or other purposes, and are capable of ready extension, so as to make light, simple, and strong 'long ladders.

The invention consists in a new, convenient, and effective combina-tion ofthe .several parts composingl this ladder. 1

The following is a more particular description of theA construction and methodof operating this device.

A is a platform, of suitable size, in which there is an opening large enough for a step, which platform rests upon two cross-pieces, to the ends of which are pivoted 'two ladders B B, constructed in the usual manner, in one of which there should be steps, and in the other, rounds, or round bars.

Beneath the platform Aare two short standards C C, projecting downward, each secrued by its top at right angles with and to the centre of oneof said crossbars.

To the bottom of these standards C C, a doubleacting lever, l), is pivoted upon its centre.

To each end of this lever l), arms e e are pivot-ed, at one of their ends, by iron pins 7L It, which may be readily removed, and at their other ends are attached respectively to the upper step in the ladder, andthe upper round in the other ladder. p

F F are two brace-bars, each of which, when this device is used for a step-ladder, is held against the under side of the' side-piece of one of the ladders by v an iron band, g, which clasps it near its top end, and allows it to move freely. The bottom of each bracebar rests against a pin in said side-pieces, which prevents it from falling to the ground.

Similar iron bands g g are' fastened to the sidepieces of the other ladder in a similar position.

To use this device as a step-ladder', the two ladders are placed standing, with the platform in a horizontal position, and the arms e e are pinned to the lever d, which holds it securely.

To make a long ladder of it, it is only necessary to withdraw the pins h h, when the arms c c will hang loosely from the step and round to which they are severally attached, and then extend the ladders at the bottom until they are in a line with each other, when the brace-bars F F may be pushed along in the bands g g in one ladder, until they enter the bands g g in the other ladder.

These bars beingthus secured at each end by the bands g g, will brace the two ladders firmly, and make of them one long ladder.

Whar I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the ladders B .13, provided with brace-bars F F and bands g y, withI the platform A, provided with standards C C, lever D, and arms c c, arranged and operating as above specified.

BRONSON SCHOONMAKER.

Witnesses J. C. ESTES, W. H. BURLING. 

